Car seat



J. J. TATUM March 4, 1930.

CAR SEAT Filed Dec. 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I IIIIIIII J. J. TATUM March 4, 1930.

CAR SEAT Filed Dec. 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 4, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOHN J. TATUM, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND CAR SEAT Application filed December 27, 1927- Serial No. 242,899.

Heretofore it has been the universal custom to equip, what is known as coaches, or day coaches for railroads, with immovable seats designed to hold two passengers, the said seat being uninterrupted from side to side; and it is not an uncommon practice for one passenger to monopolize the entire seat.

Again, another objection to this type of seat is that when it is occupied by two passengers one of the passengers may crowd over on the other passenger. Oftentimes men are found to be impolite in occupying a seat with a woman and crowd against her to more or less extent. Another objection to the present type of seat is that they cannot be swung around to face toward the window.

The object of my invention is to provide coaches with a deep cushioned seat fitted with a drop arm between each pair of seats.

Another object of my invention is to so mountsaid seats that they may be swun around to face toward the Window or towar each other.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby said drop arms may be readily colla sed and lowered to allow of the full use of the seat by a passenger, which is desirable on a long run, especially at night when the cars are not crowded; also to enable a ehild to lay at full length an the seat and with these and other objects in view, my invention consists of the parts and combination of parts as will be hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation proved seat.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is aside elevation of the seat, parts being. in section and the pedestal omitted.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line of my im Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 1 5-5, Figure 3..

estal of suitable. construction which is securely fixed to the car floor, and adapted to support the seat structure.

The seat structure has a frame 2 which carries the fixed side arms 3 and backs 4, said backs being provided with a suitable covering 5, preferably deep upholstery, the back of the seat being divided, vertically, by a comparatively deep depression 6 constituting a housing, to be hereinafter referred to. The upper edge of the seat is shaped to the configuration of two independent adjacent chair backs, as will be seen in Figure 1.

A bracket 7 is secured in the housing 6, the depth of the housing being such that there is no danger of a passenger being injured thereby.

An upper arm 8 is pivotally secured at one end to the bracket 7 and may, if desired, be upholstered. The outer end of this arm 8 is provided with an enlarged cap 9 in which is pivotally mounted the upper end of the arm support 10 the two being secured together bymeans of the screw 11, which screw may be locked by means of a set screw. It will be seen that the cap fully covers the joint between the arm 8 and support 10 there-. by eliminating the possibility of the hand of a passenger being pinched, or otherwise injured by being caught in the said joint. The lower end of the arm support is provided with a hook 12.

In the seat frame 2, midway its length, I secure a box 12 which is provided with a depression recess or pocket 13 having its upper portion flared as at 14, and intersecting this pocket 13 is a slideway 15, in which a bolt or catch 16 is slidably mounted, said bolt having a tail piece 16, around which is a coiled spring 17, one end of said spring being seated against the bolt, while its other end is seated against a plate 18, secured to the rear wall of the box 12 by means of the bolt 19. The plate 18 is provided with an opening through which the tail 16 may move. This bolt 16 is provided with a knot 20 which extends upward through the slot 21 in the top wall of the box 12, whereby a passenger may conveniently and easily operate the bolt. A depression 22 is provided around the slot 21 vide the chair with a ticket holder 26, a coat hanger 27 and an umbrella holder, and a foot rest 31.

On the seat frame I place individual deep cushioned seats 28.

In the event that a passenger wishes the seat to face the window, the pedal 23 is depressed by the foot thereby releasing clutch mechanism in the pedestal, whereby the seat is free to be revolved. In revolving the bearings 29 readily move on a lubricated track 30 as will be understood.

When the car is ready for train service, the arms 8 of all seats are in their elevated or unfolded position, as clearly shown in Figure 3, thereby assuring to each passanger an individual seat in which he cannot be crowded by another passenger, as the arm 8 constitutes a barrier, whereby each passenger enjoys a greater comfort and more privacy than can be obtained with the seats formerly in use.

On a long run, especially at night when the cars are not crowded, or in case a mother wishes to lay a child at full length on the seat, all that is necessary to remove the barrier arm is to firmly grasp the plug or button 20 and push it rearwardly to disengage the bolt 16 from the hook 21 of the arm support 10, whereupon the arm support 10 is free to be pulled out of the pocket 13, after which the support 10 (as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3) is folded beneath the arm 8, and the arm support is swung into the housing 6 between the two cushioned chair backs entirely out of the way and leaves the seat unobstructed fromside to side. When the arm 8 and support 10 are snug in the housing 6 there is no liability of their injuring the passenger or damaging his clothing.

The use of this center collapsing arm has been found in actual use to enhance the comfort and pleasure of passengers in coaches.

This collapsing arm can, as will be readily understood, be applied to any long seat, dividing it up into multiples, depending on the total width of the seat as to the number of single multiples in which it can be divided into to provide comfortable single seat space for individual passengers.

way seats into individual seats inasmuch as the arm and itssupport may be collapsed and disappear in the housing, or pocket 13.

I am aware that changes may be made in the details of construction within the spirit of my invention without departing from thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a seat having a collapsible arm dividing it into individual seats of a box secured to the seat frame, a pocket in said box to receive the free end of said arm, and means to lock said arm in said pocket and hold the arm in its extended position.

2. The combination with a seat having a collapsible arm dividing it into individual seats, of a box secured to the seat frame adapted to receive the free end of the said arm, and a spring pressed bolt adapted to be projected into locking engagement with and lock the arm in its extended position.

3. The combination with a seat having a collapsible arm dividing it into individual seats, said seat having a recess having an outwardly flaring mouth and adapted to receive the free end of said arm, a spring pressed bolt adjacent said pocket and adapted to be projected into said recess, a knob extending from said bolt to a convenient position for operating said bolt, the end of the bolt extending into the recess being bevelled downwardly, a hook on the free end of the arm for engagement with said bolt to hold the arm in its extended position.

4. In combination, in a seat, two individual seat backs, an upholstered column between said backs extending from top to bottom thereof having its lower portion hinged above the plane of the seat whereby said lower portion may be swung up and outward to function as an arm dividing the seats, said arm maintaining the continuity of said column when in closed position.

5. A seat back having a divider extending from the top to the bottom thereof and forming a part of the back, said divider comprising hinged sections, and means for maintaining one of said sections in position to form an arm rest. I

6.- A seat back having a divider intermediate its ends forming a part of the back, said divider comprising sections, and means for holding the lower portion of said divider in osition to form an arm rest.

11 testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

- JOHN J. TATUM.

In some of the claims for the sake of brevv ity I will use the term collapsible arm to include the arm 8 and its support 10.

From the above it will be seen that the I 

